The authors performed studies based on acupuncture principles
in order to develop new botulinum toxin application sites for treating
migraines. These additional sites are helpful when patients expect results for
both their illness and their wrinkles; whereas some patients will show
improvement with the classic treatment for wrinkles, additional sites may be
required. The authors injected ten patients suffering from migraines with
botulinum toxin at easily recognizable acupuncture points. The patientsí
migraines improved significantly.

In attempts to improve their health and/or combat illness,
approximately 4 in 10 Americans will use a complementary and alternative
medicine (CAM) therapy this year. CAM therapies vary widely, with acupuncture,
chiropractic, herbal medicine and homeopathy among the more prominent
modalities. CAM therapies are used in addition to and/or instead of the more
conventional forms of medical care available in U.S. hospitals or licensed
physicians' offices. A rapidly increasing interest in CAM has led to a nascent
movement aimed at integrating various CAM therapies with the conventional health
care system. In Washington State, for example, health insurance coverage for CAM
therapies has been mandated, and a number of "integrated" delivery systems have
been born. Although the political and economic forces leading to adoption and
integration of CAM therapies vary widely by geographic locale, it is likely that
some degree of integration will occur throughout much of the United States.
Similar processes are occurring in Canada, Europe and Australia and within
middle and upper level socioeconomic strata worldwide. This paper identifies
potential barriers and facilitators to potential integration, of medical
disciplines and argues for an accessible, multidisciplinary and evidence-based,
yet humanistic and patient-oriented approach.

Researchers compared auricular laser and needle acupuncture
with sham laser stimulation in reducing the duration of alcohol withdrawal.
Patients randomized to laser and sham laser had identical withdrawal symptom
durations (median four days). Patients randomized to needle stimulation had a
shorter duration of withdrawal symptoms (median three days), and tended to have
a shorter duration of sedative use, but these differences diminished after
adjusting for baseline differences. The data from this pilot trial do not
suggest a relevant benefit of auricular laser acupuncture for alcohol
withdrawal. A larger trial including adequate sham interventions is needed,
however, to reliably determine the effectiveness of any type of auricular
acupuncture in this condition.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been increasingly
popular in many countries of the world. Some recent textbooks of TCM still
recommend formulas containing various animal tissues such as tiger bones,
antelope, buffalo or rhino horns, deer antlers, testicles and or penis of the
dog, bear or snake bile. Usually animal tissues are combined with medical herbs.
In most of the cases, the medical use of the preparations is justified in terms
of the rules of TCM. So far, little research has been done to prove the claimed
clinical efficacy of TCM animal products. This paper discusses some related
ecological, ethico-legal and health concerns such as hunting, breeding and trade
with endangered species, quality of the products and alternatives to
preparations from endangered species.